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Positive Energy, a startup that makes software and analytics systems used by utilities to provide better smart meter services, has raised a $14 million round from New Enterprise Associates. The funding was reported by the Washington Business Journal and by VentureWire. (Update: The company confirmed the funding with us as well)
The Arlington, Va.-based company, which was one of our 25 up-and-coming startups to watch in the smart home energy space, was founded in March 2007 and had previously raised an undisclosed amount of angel funding. Essentially, Positive Energy helps utilities’ customers cut energy consumption with tools like home energy reports, energy-focused utility web sites and carbon calculators.
Those kind of tools are becoming increasingly attractive to utilities as a way to help them curb the growing demand for energy in the most cost-effective way possible. According to the California Public Utilities Commission, adding energy efficiency programs costs about half of what it takers to add more base-load generation.
And local and state policies are encouraging utilities to embrace those types of tools, too. California was one of the first states to implement utility decoupling, or the separating of utility profits from electricity sales. Such a move helped Pacific Gas & Electric customers save more than 118 million megawatt hours of electricity and $22 billion, and to prevent 135 million tons of CO2 from being emitted over the life of the utility’s energy efficiency programs. For California, that means per capita energy use has remained relatively stable, in marked contrast to the rest of the country, where demand has jumped by 50 percent, according to the California Energy Commission.
A startup that can help a utility save on that kind of level could convince a lot of utility customers to sign up, or at least start testing out its tools. NEA must think so, and its $14 million investment will go very far in the world of software development. Positive Energy is also an example of a company using the tools of infotech — web, software, networks — to fight climate change. For more information and companies with similar aims, check out our upcoming Green:Net conference in March in San Francisco.
By KATIE FEHRENBACHER
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Are we really ready to fight global warming? It’s not so clear when you see barriers erected to stop carbon-free transit in one city.
Carbon-free Transit beats Global Warming and Local Barriers
WHO
Andrew Michael of Partnerships For Change (PFC), driver of a bicycle rickshaw and director of a social-profit recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 Charitable non-profit, and an instigator for creation of the Business Council for Climate Change (BC3) founded by the Bay Area Council, United Nations’ Global Compact and San Francisco’s Department of the Environment, see and contact, 41….
WHAT
A bicycle – rickshaw from Agra, India provides carbon-free transit to San Franciscans and visitors, while overcoming non-sensical barriers from residential and commercial property owners. The Rickshaw service is one small way to help combat global warming.
Solution: The Hotel Vitale (near the Embarcadro) and Hotel del Sol (near the Marina and Cow Hollow) both members of Joie de Vivre Hospitality agree to provide space to park the bicycle-rickshaw and offer their guests a carbon-free; transit experience. The Hotels are green hotels recognized as green businesses.
Story Contacts
Hotel Vitale – Euan Taylor, General Manager, 415-… ,
Hotel del Sol – Gary Sterman, General Manager, 415-…,
Business Council on Climate Change (BC3) – Jennifer Kass, Co-Chair and San Francisco Department of the Environment, 415-…
Barriers – Those refusing to allow the parking of bicycle-rickshaw on property:
Chas Grisez, Residential Property Owner, San Francisco, CA 94123, 415-…
Some Commercial Property owners on California Street, San Francisco, CA 94111,
WHEN:
Anytime when Rickshaw is available riders of Carbon-free transit include San Franciscans and visitors along the Embarcadero all the way to the Marina Green and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Rickshaw Riders:
Seth Miller and son, Ben, 415-…
Prem Abraham and Jackie Miller, President, Partnerships For Change , 415-…
WHY:
PFC Projects economically empower the poorest of poor in India, Cambodia and Burma and directly receives financial donations from Carbon –free transit service provided in San Francisco with a bicycle-rickshaw produced and Agra, India. (See the Photo Journal of a the rickshaw at RickshawAMP at and a description of the new form of business at .)
Key Episodes in the Journey of an Indian rickshaw to the streets of San Francisco
Episode of purchasing the bicycle-rickshaw from Agra, India (home of the Taj Mahal) and shipping to San Francisco and finally after 6 months getting in working order:
In January 2008, following the third visit to Agra and a maker of bicycle-rickshaws that provides a free rickshaw to an Indian rickshaw driver for each one purchased by a westerner, I chose to purchase the rickshaw from Rickshaw India. It was delivered in May 2008. It was not until June 2008, that I was able clear homeland security and customs and transport the wooden crate from a San Leandro warehouse to
San Francisco. It would take yet another month to get it moving as the size of the intertube tires and the tools to replace the tire were not accessible, as they are uniquely Indian. It would not be until September 2008, when I visited India that I was able to purchase these tools and parts with a Franciscan Nun in a bike marketplace in India.
Episode with Residential Property in Marina District, San Francisco – Throwing up Barrier
Residential property owner refuses to allow Rickshaw parking in its own garage in the bike area where no person and car is blocked or impeded from movement. Even a month after the Grisez’s land attorney received a letter rebuffing all of their claims, such as you can’t run a business from ‘their garage according to their lease provisions’ the Grisez’s order the Rickshaw out of their garage. This forced me to park it in one case under a freeway underpass.
Later in time in December 2008, the Rickshaw is parked in a public parking area near the Marina Residence. A “neighbor” calls in a complaint that the bicycle rickshaw is locked to a stop sign. After a courteous warning from the San Francisco Department of Public Work, the lock is cut and the rickshaw is taken by DPW maintenance garage on Cesar Chavez Avenue. Eventuall y the field trip ends to DPW and the rickshaw is driven back to the Marina to continue it’s Global Warming campaign to make owners aware that gas guzzlers are unnecessary. See photo of sign, “GASS HOLE” in front of PT Cruiser in the public parking area and hood ornament of Rickshaw, an SUV with a big NO symbol on its back (see and RickshawAMP photo album).
Episode with Commercial Property in the Financial District
The Commercial Property Manager like a number others of California Street refuse to allow the bicycle rickshaw to park in front of their building on public sidewalk where bike’s park because they think it will not help them lease ground offices. My commercial property owner says that they will find a free area to park the rickshaw, but the parking company in the garage doesn’t have a place and nor does it want to reduce their take of parking fees. Over five weeks later, there is no place identified to park but they have no problem parking an expensive sports car in a non-parking area.
Episode: San Francisco Chronicle’s Car section touts Rickshaw as Best Carbon Free Vehicle. See
“Best vehicles are Carbon-free” on the San Francisco Chronicle site.
You can view and comment on the photo here:
“It’s true what the San Francisco Chronicle says in their Car section, the best vehicles are carbon-free! Happy Holidays, Two Turtle doves, and One Yellow rickshaw and a Lamborghini in the garage
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